Combination electric wall fitting



Oct. 8, 1929. 1'. A. BOTH COIBINA TION ELECTRIC WALL FITTING Filed Sept.8, 1925 album Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TONJ'ESA. BOTH, OF STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE CONNECTICUT'ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A COR-PORATION OF CONNECTICUT COMBINATION ELECTRIC WALL FITTING Applicationfiled September This invention relates to electric wall fittings, andhas for an object to provide a construction and arrangement for afitting .comprising a plurality of electrical devices, which are soarran ed that the fitting may be applied to a wall box of a smallernumber of gangs than the number of separate devices in the fitting, andspecifically to provide a fitting of this character which comprises aswitch, a receptacle and a pilot light so constructed and arranged thatthe fitting as a unit may-be applied to, a two gang wall box and,therefore, does not require a three gang box as is ordinarily used withthese devices, thus reducing the space required in the wall, and thesize of the wall box, and therefore, reducing the cost of installation,besides allowing the use of a fitting equivalent to a three gang fittingin the space formerly used for a two gang fitting.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification, similar reference characters being employedthroughout the various figures to indicate corresponding elements. Inthis drawing,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved fitting.

Fig. 2 is a rear-elevation thereof showing a two gang wall box outlinedin dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the central part of the fixturesubstantially on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar section substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail section on the same plane as Fig. 3 looking in theopposite direction as indicated by line 5-5 of Fig 3, and

Fig. 6 is a detail section substantially on line 66 of Fig. 3.

The fixture illustrated comprises a plurality of different electricaldevices so constructed and arranged as to form a single unit, which isassembled and sold as a unit, and may be mounted in a wall box as aunit, and the elements of the unit are so arranged that the unitcomprising a plurality of different electrical devices, specificially inthe present case a switch, a receptacle and a pilot light,

which in the old construction required a three gang wall box may in myconstruction be mounted in a two gang wall box. In the constructionshown in the drawings my improved fitting comprises a cover plate 10,preferably of insulating material such as aphenolic condensationproduct, and is provided with rearwardly projecting walls molded in onepiece with the cover plate on the rear side thereof for mounting thevarious electrical devices of the unit. The switch of the present deviceis a toggle switch of the type shown in the application of Alexander H.Trumbull, Serial No. 581,173, filed August 10, 1922 and has pivotedswitch contacts 11 mounted on a pivotal support- 12 which is operatedwith a snap action to close and open the switch. In the presentconstruction there are two of these movable con-- tacts 11, one of whichis adapted to engage the stationary contacts 13 and 14 while the otheris adapted to engage the stationary contacts 15 and 16. The contacts 13and 15 are mounted on the rear of the cover plate by the members 17molded in the walls of the plate and riveted over' the body portions 18of these contacts to secure them in position, and the binding screws 19are connected to these contacts for connection to the lead wires 20 inthe usual manner. The switch is operated by a toggle lever 21 extendingthrough an opening 22 in the cover plate where it is accessible formanipulating the switch at the front of the plate in the usual manner.

Spaced laterally of the switch and in the opposite half of the plate arespaced spring contacts 23 and 24 forming receptacle contacts. They aremounted in pockets 25 in the rear of the extending wall 26which pocketscommunicate with openings 27 and 28 through the cover plate for theentrance of contact blades of attachment plug caps to engage thecontacts 23 and 24 for the purpose of supplying electric current tothese attachments. These openings 27 and 28 are rectangular in shape andone of them, as the upper one 27 in the present showing, may be madelonger than the lower for use with a polarized cap.- The face of thecover plate 10 is provided with a depression 29 about these openings theside walls of which are inclined toward the openings to assist indirecting the blades of the cap to these openings. The contacts 23 and24 are connected ed in this opening and held therein by a metal plate 37engaging the back of the jewel at the sides thereof by means of thesides 38 of the opening 39 in the plate, and this plate is secured tothe back of the cover plate by the securing elements 40 molded in theplate with the free endsextending through openings in the plate 37 andriveted over against the back thereof. At the rear of this jewel ismounted a pilot light 41 so that when it is lighted it will illuminatethe jewel to indicate this fact to an observer at the front of theplate. It is mounted in the spaced fingers 42 and 43 forming a lampsupport, and which fingers are integral with the bar 30. The finger 42has a straight opening 44 while the finger 43 has an opening 45 and theportions of this finger on the opposite sides of the opening are offset,as shown in Fig. 2, the distance between two threads 46 on the screwshell forming the outer lamp contact, and there is a notch 47 in theconnection between these two pfiset portions of the finger 43 to allowfor passage of this thread. Thus the screw shell of the lamp may bepassed through the opening 44 in the finger 42 and threaded through theopening 45 in the finger 43 by which it is held in position, the twoofl'set portions of the finger 43, seating in the grooves on theopposite sides of a screw thread, and the central or end contact 48engages a spring contact 49 integral with the bar 31' through theconnection 50. Thus the lamp contacts are electrically connected withthe receptacle contacts 23 and 24, and the lamp contacts and thereceptacle contacts are electricallyconnected with the switch contacts14 and16. Therefore, the switch controls the current to the receptaclecontacts and the pilot light indicates whether the switch is open orclosed, or whether there is any current being supplied to the receptaclecontacts.

The switch mechanism and the various connections to the receptaclecontacts are enclosed by the walls 51-moldedintegral with the coverplate 10 and extending rearwardly therefrom, and after the variouselements are mounted in position they are enclosed by an insulatingplate 52 mounted over these devicesand securedjn position by thesecuring elements 53 molded in the walls of the plate with their freeends extending through openings in the plate 52 and riveted over againstthe outer face thereof. It will be apparent from the foregoingdescription that the switch occupies the' space on the plate requiredfor a so-called single ang, while the receptacle and the pilot light,eing located one above the other, together occupy the space of a secondsingle gang, so that with the construction and arrangement shown thesethree different electrical devices, instead of requiring the space ofthree gangs, and therefore, requiring a three gang wall box, are all ofthem located Within the limits or confines ofa two gang wall box, whichbox is shown in dotted lines '54 in Fig. 2. This makes a very neat,compact arrangement which gives the effect of a three gang fitting inthe space of a two gang fitting, greatly reducing the space required forthe same amount of apparatus'and also reducing the cost of installation.Also the walls for mounting these various electrical devices are moldedof insulating material integral with the cover plate 10, so that thewhole fittingmay be assembled as a unit at the factory and mounted inthe wall box as a unit with no more labor than is required in mountingthe separate cover plate in the ordinary installation, the cover platebeing secured to the wall box by the screws 55 threaded in the ears 56of the wall box in the same manner as in the ordinary cover plate. Asthe electrical devices are permanently mounted on the cover plate, andare in effect a part thereof, no

adjustments are required in making the installation. Thus this improvedconstruction greatly reduces the labor expense of installing. As thecover plate is of insulating material and securing screws havinginsulating heads may be used, this fittin gives an entirely dead frontinstallation. s shown in Fig. 1 the impressions in the plate surroundingthe openings 22, 27, 28 and 35 are madeof the same shape to give a neatand attractive appearance, and it will, of course, be understood thatthe relative positions of the various electrical devicesfimaybe shiftedon the plate if it is found nrore desirable than the arrangement shown'.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. An electric wall fitting comprising as a unit a cover plate of asizeto cover the wall opening required. for a standard two gang wall outletbox, an electric switch mounted at the rear of the portion of the plateadapted to cover one gang and having operating means extending throughthe plate, receptacle contacts mounted at the rear of the portion of theplate adapted to cover the other gang, said plate having knife bladeopenings leading to said contacts, a pilot light in said opening.

plate so that said fitting may be mounted as a unit in such wall box.

2. In an electric wall fitting, a cover plate of insulating material ofa size to cover the wall opening required for standard two gang walloutlet box and having walls of insulating material extending rearwardlyfrom the inner face thereof, a switch having stationary contactsenclosed by' said walls and mounted at the rear of the portion of theplate adapted to cover one of said gangs, operating means for the switchextending through the plate, spaced receptacle contacts enclosed by saidwalls and mounted, at the rear of the portion of the plate adapted tocover the other gang, said plate having openings for standard attachmentplug blade contacts leading to said receptaclecontacts, electricalconducting bars connecting the switch contacts with the receptaclecontacts, lamp contacts connected to the receptacle contacts, said platehaving an opening adjacent the lamp contacts and means for securing ajewel 3. In an electric wall fitting, an insulating cover plate of asize to cover a standard two gang wall outlet box and having an openingin the portion thereof adapted to cover one of said gangs, a toggleswitch mounted on the rear of said port-ion of the plate and having anoperating lever projecting through said opening, a pair of receptaclecontacts and a pilot light electrically connected therewith mounted onthe rear of the portion of said plate adapted to cover the other ganglaterall of the switch and arranged one above t e other, said platehaving openings in alignment with the receptacle contacts and the lamp,means for securing the jewel in the lamp opening, and electricalconnections mounted on the plate leading from the switch to thereceptacle contacts.

4. In an electric wall fitting, an insulating cover plate of a size tocover the wall open ing required for a standard two gang wall outletbox, and electrically connected receptacle contacts, pilot light andcontrolling switch for said light and contacts all mount ed on the rearof said plate, the switch being mounted on the portion of the plateadapted to cover one gang of said box and the pilot light and receptaclecontacts being mounted on the portion of said plate adapted to cover theother gang so that said fitting may be mounted as a unit'in said box,-and said plate being provided with an opening for the switch operatingmeans and openings leading to the receptacle contacts and pilot light.

5. An electric wall fitting comprising a plate of insulating materialhaving two pairs of openings spaced standard distances for securingscrews for securing it to a standard two gang wall outlet box, saidplate having an opening associated with one pair for a switch operatingmeans in the portion of the plate adapted to cover one gang of such box,and a plurality of substantially aligned openings in the portion adaptedto cover the other gang of the box, two of said openings being spaced toreceivestandard plug terminals and a third forming a pilot lightopening, said plate being provided with walls extending rearwardly fromthe inner face thereof molded of insulating material integral with saidplate, switch mechanism, means for supporting said mechanism on saidwalls, bus bars extending from certain of said switch contacts to apoint adjacent said plug terminal openings, plug terminals adjacent saidopenings and connected to said bus bars, means for mounting saidterminals on said walls, and pilot light terminals mounted on said wallsand connected to said bus bars, said latter terminals adapted to supporta pilot lamp behind said third opening.

6. An electric wall fitting comprising a plate of a size to cover thewall opening required for a standard two gang wall outletbox, means forsecuring the plate over the open side of said box, said plate having ansaid switch contacts to a point adjacent said plug terminal openings,plug terminals adjacent said openings and connected to said bus bars,and pilot light terminals connected to said bus bars between said switchand plug terminals adapted to support a pilot lamp behind' said thirdopening. I

7. An electric wall fitting comprising a plate having two pairs ofopenings spaced standard distances for securing screws for securing itto a standard two gang wall outlet box, said plate having an openingassociated with one pair for a switch operating means in the portion ofthe plate adapted to cover one gang of such box and a plurality ofsubstantially aligned openings in the portion adapted to cover the othergang of thebox, two of said openings being spaced to receive standardplug terminals and a third forming a pilot light opening, switchmechanism, means on the back of said plate for supporting saidmechanism, and bus bars extending from certain of said switch contactsto a point adjacent said plug terminal openings, plug termibox, meansfor securing the plate tosaid box,

said plate having an opening for a switch opcrating means in the portionthereof adapted to cover one gang of such box and a plurality ofsubstantially transversely aligned openings in the portion adapted tocover the other gang of the box, two of said latter openings beingspaced to receive standard plug terminals and a third forming a pilotlight opening, switch mechanism associated with said I first opening,means for supporting said mechanism on the back ofthe plate, plugterminals adjacent said plug terminal openings,

, electrical connections between said plug terminals and certain-of saidswitch contacts, and pilot light terminals electrically connected withsaid plug terminals and adapted to support a pilot lamp behind saidthird opening.

-9. An electric wall fitting comprising a plate composed of insulatingmaterial and of a size to cover the wall opening required for a standardtwo gang wall outlet box, said plate being provided with walls extendingrearwardly from the inner face thereof molded integrally with said plateand forming switch and contact chambers, said plate havmg an opening fora switch operatlng means in the portion thereofadapted to cover a gangof such box, and a plurality of substantially aligned openings in theportion adapted to cover the other gang of the box, two of said latteropenings being spaced to receive standard plug terminals and a thirdforming a pilot light opening, switch mechanism associated with saidfirst opening, means for mounting said mechanism on said walls, bus barsmounted on said walls and extending from certain of said switch contactsto a point adjacent said plug terminal openings, plug terminals mountedon said walls adjacent said openings and connected to said bus bars,-andpilot light terminals connected to saidbus bars and adapted to support apilot lamp behind said third opening.

10. An electric wall fitting comprising as a unit a cover plate ofinsulating material, said plate having rearwardly extending enclosingwalls integral therewith, a switch mechanism mounted on the rear of theplate within said enclosing walls and having an operating leverprojecting through the plate to the front thereof, said walls being alsoprovided with pockets located laterally'of'the switch mechanism,"receptacle contacts mounted in said pockets, said plate bein providedwith openings for attachment p Hg) blade; leading to eing urther prosaidpockets, said plate videdvwith a pilot light opening in verticalalignment with said blade openings, a lamp support mounted on the rearofthe plate arranged to hold a lamp in alignment with said pilot lightopening and including lamp contacts, and electrical connections for saidswitch, receptacle contacts and said lamp contacts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' TONJES A. BOTH.

